Amid outbreak of Monkeypox, Karnataka airport officials have started screening those with symptoms. WHO declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern after a surge of cases in the African countries. Health and family welfare minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, speaking to media persons on Monday, August 19, said that the Union government asked officials at seaports and airports to be alert and that they have been orally instructed to test those arriving with symptoms. However, he assured that there won’t be any lockdown.
Stating that there are no guidelines or immediate orders by the Union government in this regard, the Minister said that the health department and district-level officials and health education institutes will be sensitised about symptoms, testing and treatment.
Monkeypox was declared as a public health emergency in 2022, and since then India has reported 30 cases. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), monkeypox typically manifests in humans with fever, rashes and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications. Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting from two to four weeks. It can also take a severe form, with the WHO saying the case fatality ratio has been around 3% to 6% in recent times. Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding.
According to WHO, an antiviral agent developed for the treatment of smallpox has also been licensed for the treatment of monkeypox. However, the condition of the patient improves with symptomatic management. WHO has so far identified 80 monkeypox cases globally and has 50 cases under the suspected cases list.